The present invention relates to a method for diagnosing neuronal diseases and or treating primary hemostasis deficiency. The invention further relates to a method for suppressing the immune system, which is inter alia significant for transplantation medicine and for the treatment of allergies. The invention is used in the field of medicine and pharmaceutical industry.
Several behavioral disorders, such as depressions, alcoholism, drug abuse, isomnia and nutritional disturbances, are disorders tightly connected to the central nervous system. The tissue hormone serotonin plays an essential role at many levels. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter inter alia for the stimulation of the peristalsis, vasodilatation and constriction (dosage depending), respectively, and the increase of the tonicity in the respiratory tract. It is not only a neurotransmitter in the CNS, but, in addition, a compound that can be found everywhere in the periphery, where serotonin was first discovered due to its activity as strong vascular constrictor (Rapport et al., J. Biol. Chem. 176:1237, 1948).
In addition, serotonin plays an essential role in primary hemostasis, that is, the inhibition of bleedings. The serotonin that is stored in the platelets is excreted at sites of vascular lesion, whereupon it interferes with the primary hemostasis (Holland, Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med. 151:32-39, 1976).
Furthermore, the serotonin of the platelets further mediates between components of the immune system (Geba et al., J. Immmunol. 157:557–565, 1996). The mechanisms that thereby take place are yet unknown.
It is known that the enzyme tryptophan-hydroxylase (TPH), an enzyme that is expressed in neurons and pheripheric tissue, catalyses the yield-limiting step in the biosynthesis of serotonin, and is therefore essential for the function of the serotonergic system in the CNS and the periphery (Boadle-Biber, Prog. Biophys. Mol. Bio. 60:1–15, 1993).
There are already some medical applications, which rely on the effect of serotonin in the body. The increased release of serotonin by Rauwolfia-Alkoloides, and the retardation of the serotonin decay using MAO (Monoaminooxidase) inhibitors, respectively are used for the treatment of mental depressions, while its antagonist, methysergide, find its application in the treatment of migraine.
It has not yet been achieved to control the serotonin production in the body in such a manner that an effective treatment of the above-mentioned and other pathological phenomena are possible.
It is therefore an object of the invention to improve the diagnosis of neuronal diseases of the above-mentioned kind. It is a further or alternative object to develop agents for the treatment of the primary hemostasis deficiency as well as agents for suppressing the immune system based on new findings of the effect of serotonin.